West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-02-03
"rhc True American gentleman. .,

Palmer House Of that city, John
Barton Payne, lately of Kingwood,
responded to the toast, "The True
American Gentleman" in the follow.
ing speech, which is reproduced by
the Chicago Times, January %:
"Whcn, in the eleventh century,
William the conquerer led his vic.
torious Normans from the battlefield
at Hastings, he partitioned the lands
of the conquered Saxons among his
trusty followers, made them barons
of England, and created an aristo.
cracy Land thus became the founda-
ton Of the aristocracy of England.
This has been nurlured and support.
ed by the rule of primogeniture, the
cornerstone of the feudal system.
The king was the source from which
the titles to all lands were derived
the foundation of honor and'rank-the
first gentleman in the land. Men
who yesterday were but yeomen be-
cause by his warrant of noble blood
"a reward for some gallent deed or
a mark of the kings favor
Even in these rude times men were
known for their bravery, their truth,
their hospitality, their chivalry; they
were taught to ride, to shoot,to speak
the truth. They were aristocrats;
some-not all-were gentlemen, for
Nature with a natchloss hand sends forth
her nobly born,
And laughs tho paltry attributes of
wealth and rank to scorn.
Size molds with care spirit rare, half
human, half divine,
And cries exultingly WHO can make
gentleman like mine.
Such is the genius of our ins:itu-
tions we can have no titlel aristo.
crazy in America. We may have
what is much better, both in its rela-
ton to the state and the walks Of
private life-an aristocracy of man
hood, of character, and of genuine
culture, open alike to the son of the
artisan and the son Of the senator.
The representative ofsuch an aristo-
cracy, whether ushered into manhood
from the matched cottage of virtue
and independence or the resembling
halls of some ancestral mansion, is
the fit type OF the ideal American
gentleman. Gle that bears himself
like a gentleman is worthy to have
been born a gentleman"
This word gentleman" is the most
potent in our language.
The grand old name Of gentleman,
Detained by every charlatdu
And soiled with all ignobe use.
Yet it has meyer been so full Of
meaning as now. When you would
focus into one word all that Is best in
man when you would describe a
hero kind, gentle, courteous, chiva-
lrous, daring, nd.true,a man whose
word no power can break, who rcveres
the name Of mother, and would de-
fend with his hearts blood the honor
Of woman, you say of him, there is a
gentleman. In this county differ
ent civilizations have produced diff
ferent types, the locality leaving its
impress and character upon the in
dividual. We have been bound down
by provincialisms; heretofore it has
been the New England, the southern,
the Virginia gentleman.
stand in this presence tonight TO
speak Of the ideal American gentle
man. When Robert i. Lee, that
prince Of southern gentleman, gave
up his sword at Appomatlaz the clock
Of time struck twelve for all provin-
cialisms henceforth 70 was not South
Carolina or Massachusetts 10 was
America We have advanced from
the province TO tho state, from the
state TO the rcpubIicDot That we love
Illinois or Virginia less, but America
more. Parisis scarcely more cos.
mopolilan than Chicago. we have
here representative Of Che beet civ.
HizaGons OF Che world. 10 Is meet.
therefore. that from this center should
spring the ideal American gentleman
as has sprung tho ideal merchant. Che
professional man, tbo real estate man,
and the artisan Our splendid city,
its health, its wealth, its opportuni.
Tics Tor reaching Che ideal in aIl ranks
Of life, invite u to study end en-
courage us TO emulate those quaHucs
ghich have Afforded Che greatest hap.
pincss ~ mankind.
We follow coo closely Che cxocting